Sports Medicine Specialist

What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine is a specialized discipline that deals with fitness, injury prevention, and the treatment of sports injuries.

These injuries can occur when you're playing your chosen sport, during training, or when you're exercising. Sports injuries cause damage to your musculoskeletal system, which consists of bones, connective tissues, cartilage, nerves, and muscles.

Sports injuries might occur suddenly, causing acute conditions like sprains or joint dislocations. Chronic problems can also develop due to overuse or repetitive strain injuries, where symptoms develop more slowly.

What injuries does sports medicine treat?

The sports medicine experts at Riverwalk Physical Therapy treat a variety of injuries, with common ones being:

Strained and torn muscles

Muscles in the calves, thighs, back, and arms are particularly prone to injury.

Sprained ligaments

Ligaments connect the bones in your joints. Common acute ligament injuries include sprains of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in the knee.

Strained tendons

Your Achilles tendon — the thick connective tissue at the back of your ankle — is the one that’s most likely to suffer a strain.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis is inflammation in your tendons that generally develops due to overuse. Common examples of tendinitis in sports medicine include tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis).

Torn cartilage

The meniscal cartilage in your knee and the labral cartilage in your shoulder and hip are prone to tearing during sports activities.

Some injuries affect several types of tissue at the same time. For example, rotator cuff tears in your shoulder usually cause damage to the tendons and muscles, while an ACL rupture could happen at the same time as a meniscal tear.

How is physical therapy used in sports medicine?

Physical therapy is an essential component of your recovery from sports injuries. Your therapist at Riverwalk Physical Therapy aims to design a treatment plan for you that gets you back on the field or court as soon as possible with no or minimal loss of performance. 

Sports medicine treatments they might use include:

• Stretching and strengthening
• Hot and cold packs
• Reconditioning activities
• Massage therapy
• Graston Technique®
• McKenzie method
• Therapeutic ultrasound
• Electric stimulation
• Laser therapy
• Myofascial release
• Acupuncture

In addition to treating existing problems, the sports medicine experts at Riverwalk Physical Therapy offer services that help you avoid injuries. These include looking at how you train and the techniques you use when playing sports that could increase your risk of injury.

One of the specialized services they offer is the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Physical Screen to find out what physical limitations are preventing you from improving your golf game. Your therapist provides corrective exercises and other techniques to help you play your best.

To find out how sports medicine can help you reach your peak performance and recover from injury, call Riverwalk Physical Therapy today or book an appointment online.